Constantly getting very irritated by the Jensen Button ads. BBCi can I use it according to the Beeb yes. According to trial and error, no. This pisses me off because it means that the nearest I can get is teletext which requires me to drop out of the digital reception and then go back to it. Maybe it isn't working yet for anyone and I'm whinging alone. Rang the number they're advertising with young Jensen too, it gave no information. Aaaarg! The Beeb need to get their act together.
Doh! Missed the Guardian Blog Awards when they came out. Good to see Phil Gyford's Pepys Diary there. The Analogue Human Clock is also kinda fun. Beer is fine, and the cat's being very sweet and attentive. You can make up your own Mrs. Slocum's pussy jokes. Don't know what I'd do without Katie about the place.
While noodling around checking out John Lilburne (a long time Leveller hero of the Civil War) I came across the very wonderful British Civil Wars & Commonwealth Website it even has stuff about long term faves the Ranters. How can you not love a sect that works on the basis that 'Free love, drinking, smoking and swearing were regarded as viable routes to spiritual liberation.'. It also led me to British History Online the pilot digital library of British historical sources for historians of Britain located worldwide seeking access to, and cross-searching of, an interconnected range of historical sources. For full use a free registration is required. OK so without Monst and Cal about the place I admit it I'm bored. I should be tidying upstairs but can't be arsed. May be time for an over long hot bath, bottle of beer etc.
OK so the Odessa File is a really sad book to want to read, but it's one of those comfort books, you know you've read it so many times, you don't have to pay too much attention and I find some of Frederick Forsythe's stylisms incredibly funny. Do I want to know what brand of fags a character smokes? Does it add to the realism of the piece? Er.... no but it is kind of funny. Product placement by novel. The Rapidly Diminishing Ken Clare has done it again with a link to the funny Human Clock another amusing site. I'm trying to get excited about 'Library and Information Update 3(1)' but can't it's all bloody public libraries again. It did turn up Linux Lass which might interest the NHS's IT Tsar Richard Grainger in his bid to get Bill Gates off everyones back. Meanwhile it also turned up this which also amused me. So at least the bag of shite did something funny.... (it does have a couple of serious articles I might pay some attention too later too but don't let anyone know that I can be that serious about stuff).
The day kicks off at 2.00 a.m. Cal didn't want to get up but he wasn't alone in that. Monst was reasonably grumpy, I was knackered and Cal just slept through the whole getting dressed experience. Trip to Manchester Airport fine as expected bugger all on the road. Bizarre thought that we were on the way to the venue of SOE parachute training during the war, bit of a change to new venue for trips to see Santa. Left it at 4.30 and came home to crash for a couple of hours. Finally woke up again feeling like shite. A situation not improved by a visit to Warrington. On the plus side I went to visit the Warrington Book Loft. Came out with too many books but did locate a copy of the Odessa File which seemed to have gone mysteriously from all the charity shops I'd been in for the last 7 or so months since I last wanted to read it and couldn't find it. No doubt it's appearing as if by magic everywhere else now. Quick bit of food shop, particularly for some bizarre custard from Marks and Spencer involving loads of vanilla. Back home in time to listen to Arsenal - Bolton on fivelive. Post the excitement of all of that and I shove the Third Series of the League of Gentleman into the DVD. You could also visit Virtual Vasey. I'd forgotten how clever and funny the third series was. An excellent addition to the DVD collection.
Another trip to the venue with the coffee straight from the gnat. All this and a sausage sandwich. Feast of a lunch. Sadly it still ain't Highbury but Vauxhall Road. Picked up the tabloid version of the Independent, don't know if I really like the format. It has the advantage of being far more manageable in the hand but somehow there is the sdatisfaction of wrestling with a Broadsheet. Maybe I'm getting stupid in my old age. Feel fairly knackered and got to face this early morning trip tomorrow. All this and I've been told I must clean upstairs and wrap the presents. Deep joy! Oh well need to get my head round that. Suspect my plan of a return home and collapse in a heap in bed is out of the question. Just come across CheatHouse kind of alarmed by it somehow. All because we have abook just come in from the wonderfully named Richard Daft. Very difficult not to laugh when you have a Dick Daft book about the place.
1. List your five favorite beverages. Coffee - Day time love of my life, it keeps me going when all else fails. Beer - Post hangover less in love with it than normal. A tricky animal, treat it with respect and a fine time with no consequences can be had. Key thing for all you wine drinkers out there, beer is a far more complex drink that your grape juice. Go away and learn to love it. Tea (that'll suprise the Fade crew) A well timed and reasonably strong cup of char can really hit the spot. Even better if you use loose leaf tea it gives you something to read at the end of the mug. 2. List your five favorite websites. Er... top five eh! Like records this probably runs to a fair few. What I be mostly using at the moment is: Bariatric -whats that then (Rapidly Diminishing Ken Clare's Blog) entertaining, informative and this is all his fault. Ella Guru - because I'm getting a bit obsessional with '3 Songs From Liverpool', it's been a constant play since I bought it and it ain't long enough damn you. Album now please. It's simple, pretty and very lovely. Not much information though..... Quickos Daily News - the little puppet cheers me up when times are shite, he's just so damn perky. Even better you can now see him from North Lanarkshire libraries apparently...... Info4local.gov.uk - shhhh! Keep this one to yourself, it's a grey literature collectors wet dream...... Department of Health - less of a favourit but a really regular haunt. I spend a fair proportion of my life on this site, full of grey lit but mainly because it can be a 'mare to navigate and our end users still haven't got the hang of it..... 3. List your five favorite snack foods. Sausages - er... nothing remotely dodgy about a banger and in a house with a pretty constant call for the things what else can you do. Unfortunately I like them with fillings involving meat and flavour, the usual sausage in our house involves pig products. Stilton, Pastrami and Chilli Mayo Sandwiches - a very occaisional lunchtime indulgance that usually indicates I'm pissed off. Pizza involving Pepperoni - it's simple, wack it in an oven and eat..... Chocolate - if all else fails resort to a basic food group. Plain for preference but when in need anything'll do just as long as it doesn't involve turkish delight. Crisps - a simple way to sample the non-tastes of the world..... 4. List your five favorite board and/or card games. Diplomacy - an excuse to wreck your head, games of this go on too long and require a load of thought but can be immensly satisfying. Monopoly - how to let your inner-capitalist run riot..... Snap - Cal's begining to get the hang of this..... Snakes and Ladders - Cal's sussed this one too! Ludo - the final game in the Cal triumverate, er.. it's nice sharing a game with someone who gets excited by it. 5. List your five favorite computer and/or game system games. Settlers IV - the challenge of building and defending your settlement and the cute little people wandering about doing their thang.... 3D Pinball - er... if I'm bored it's always there Axis and Allies - for those moments when recreating pre- first world war Balkan conflicts is not an option, just re-run World War II Solitaire - always a good excuse to go away form the computer and do something more interesting instead a fifth, I rarely play the things, can't you tell...... All this from the Friday Five.
For some strange reason I'm listening to Chumbawamba's 'English Rebel Songs 1381-1914' back here grabbing a coffee and blogging away. Hangover is done over which is as well because tomorrow is the day that Monst and Cal go to Lapland to Levi (another view if you want it, and a final one if you must). Thing is it's only just tomorrow when they need to be at Mancy Airport around 3 a.m. which means a wake up time for me tonight of 2 a.m. Then I have the fun of coming home and working out if it's worth just stayiong up or going to bed. It must be said the folky album on is not really lively enough for me at the mo only 3 songs to go, so what next? Makin' Time they'll do.
It ain't pretty but has a certain grim satisfaction about it, as I grind out a post hangover blues post. Not a good day for a hangover as I spend the morning at a SHA informatics group in Warrington. Quite a high powered gig in a Fuhrer Bunker of a room at the Village Hotel. Jim Hughes kept me fed with coffee and Andy did his thing. Need to write a paper on e-filing by the 16th Jan. Also think I've gained a bit of a gig writing a bit of the PHAR which could be kind of fun. PM and the lovely Sally feeds me coffee. I footle about chasing up the moment in time Health Visitors joined the health service (74 reform, 73 Act). Then back home to a crimbo dinner with Helen and Lonen over. Still feel rough but getting better all the time. Feel shattered though.
Quick bit of knowledge management with Monst on the way to Alder Hey and I know now which is the quickest and cheapest bus to town. Even better I'm sat on the thing. In the spacce of 5 minutes it's cut 20 minutes off my journey time. Downside I'm on the school run so the thing is stopping everywhere to pick up kids. If I was in the car mind I'd be stuck in school traffic anyway. Meanwhile 'Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs' is my bis time reading.
I have to run the Monst and Cal to Alder Hey this morning, then come back and hop a bus. Aaaargh, what a pain I'm gonna be very late in. Need to nurn 15 copies of the Glossary for Big Bob too. Then this afternoon first meeting of my consultation group. Naturally we're doing it my style and heading for the Ship and Mitre (hence the need for the bus). I want a creative venue to discuss this.
Picture this, me on a mission to get Cal from Northern Primary (up in Speke, in the Norf) to Beechenhurst (in the Sarf) to dance the Nutcracker Suite or whatever it is they do in Ballet, with little leeway and a child who'd just bumped into a phony Santa (well they all are if you don't believe in them but you catch my meaning). In the middle of this is an abortive attempt to get hold of 9 Scrap Books for librarians to get in touch with their inner designer. Then having deposted the little darling I needed to fetch Monst so she could pick up Cal. Is it any wonder that my hair is grey. Add to this the beginings of a notion of my calandar list (if you want to know it you'll have to ask) and it was a hectic end to the day. Back on the Belle and Sebastian and been busy trying to justify pedal steel to Ian by mail (not very convincingly it must be said but the beast makes some of the most freaky sounds I can think of.....).
While trying to locate the Warrington Village Hotel (I've a meeting there Thursday) I came across the Curry Guide maybe kind of useful if you like a decent curry.
Camden Public Libraries have got into the Calandar girls thing which no doubt will appease the desire for naked librarian's everywhere. �Lots of men have been looking at them, but not all have bought a copy, which is weird,� added Ms Bowman. Something about public libraries and buying books springs to mind at this quote but that would be too cruel. We've had a message round reminding it isn't the NHS Libraries because they couldn't muster 12 people in Camden. Personally I think it's because it's just too bloody cold to be taking yer clothes off this time of year. Still should we be short of a bob or two..... no doubt we can get people to pay to keep us fully clothed. For LIHNN readers suggestions for your top twelve LIHNN Pin Ups would of course be welcome and amuse me.... (LIHNN is Library Health Network Northwest our local network).
The Times launched this post with this pithy and pointed cartoon by Peter Brookes. It brought forth much bitter laughter from me in the library. Steve Bell take's a different approach to the Iraq thing but lavatorial humour is always in favour here. But Matin Rowson celebrates Christmas for Blair and Bush. Not certain about this from the Times 'It seems that the Edwardians first introduced standards for minimum distances between main house windows. They were built 22m apart so that a gentleman�s wife�s nipple would not be visible from next door, says Planning.' What were next door doing abseiling or using a periscope?
Henry rejects Real rumours thank goodness Titi shows a bit of loyalty. Even DD don't seem to want to take the dosh. Can't sleep so really just here noodling, waiting on a reasonable time to go to work. Gonna make a coffee and relax with a book I think.
Following the Rapidly Diminishing Ken Clare's lead the Friday Five on a Monday Night.... 1. Do you enjoy the cold weather and snow for the holidays? No not at all. Cold weather is not welcomed ever by me what I like is the hint of warmth on the breeze but not actual hot weather. That said a wind that is marginally warmer than the weather has been on a winters day is as good as a summer day and I love the liquid light of a sunny winter day. Snow it's wet cold and pretty horrid if yellow or brown. 2. What is your ideal holiday celebration? How, where, with whom would you celebrate to make things perfect? No celebration at all. Life as normal. Perfection is a state I'll never achieve it's not in gooner logic, everything can always be better than the state you are currently in. Maybe I'm just a malcontent but if I ever reach a state of perfection I'll be terrified. If you insist on people I'd really like to see again round a table Gert my maternal Grandmother, Margaret and Tom, the immediate family, my paternal Grandfather because I don't remember him and it'd be nice to share a pint or two. Plenty of beer of a real ale nature, good chat and reasonable food so I guess Elsie my Dad's Mum better be on hand to help with the cooking. Venue, probably somewhere in Wallingford for preference. Just good craic that's all I need to have a good time. 3. Do you do have any holiday traditions? Beyond alcohol? A bottle of champagne for Christmas breakfast. A walk on Christmas day and Boxing Day. At least one avoidable and stupid argument. Avoiding the Queen's speech. Usual stuff I guess. 4. Do you do anything to help the needy? Quick donation to the homeless but nothing practical and yes I feel guilty about it. 5. What one gift would you like for yourself? World peace (it'd stop me be terrified that some geezer is going to try and call me up. On the outbreak of the first Gulf War all you could hear in the shared house I was living in was the radio's on as war hit, then a knock came at the door and all you could here was 'If they've come to call me up they can fuck off' from at least two of the rooms - turned out it was Tony from across the road to tell us war had broken out). I've lived through three conflicts the UK has been involved in (not counting Northern Ireland) and every one of them has been avoidable and unneccasary.
Obviously in a mood to listen to Jock Indie as I hit the BMX Bandits and kick of a blog for this federated search consultation group to play with. I'd suggest we used Aditus but I need the freedom to be able to write something and get it published at this moment in time. Long term whatever we come out with should transfer there but it ain't up to that yet. The Fursty Ferret is looking tempting right about now. I can't cope with these winter nights. My head is telling me right now it's around 22:00 but the clock says I'm running two hours too fast. OK not a problem, just readjust the body clock a bit with some beer......
Mic calls a.m. to tell me Cairs is now live in Salford a week before he's due to leave. Need to sort some Cairs training out with them and sort out what we're doing. Need to talk the ILLs gig through with Tracy can't remember how we decided to cope with it but I do remember we had some sort of solution. A day of two halves today. Very much lope at the hive. A.M. big blog biz. Start writing my postcards, Bebington and West Wirral, Birkenhead and Wallasy and Central Cheshire PCTs get hit first. It must be said I'm going to demonstrate a clear Cheshire and Merseyside, PCT bias in the way I send these. Acutes bore me and the outer reaches of Lancs and Cumbria are blank spaces on the map merked 'Here Be Dragons'. Count out the postcards for the lovely Lucy. Need to remember to post them to her! Binley's sorts the names of the people to send 'em to. I wish I had more confidence in the accuracy of the thing than I do. Still what can you do other than use the best data available to you. Then second half of the day a quick stand at an induction. A quick impromptu library orientation session, yep I'll talk about what I do at the drop of the hat. Then more people fed on library chocolate. NeLH monitor clips seem to go down well as a freebie. Mind you it might be the demonstration of their usefullness with a packet of chcolate buttons that does it. Here's a question what have you got clipped in your monitor clip today? Bumped into Steve Graham which was kind of nice. Swapped condolances. He was telling me that the bastards at Healthwise made Carol redundant just after her Mum died (just before Christmas, nice pressie lads). Hope she finds a better set of employers soon. 'If You're Feeling Sinister' come and join me in a listen to the delightful Belle and Sebastian. Mind you according to the review I must be a 'buck-toothed girls with stringy hair ' because I've never played lacrosse in my life! Can't believed I lived so long without this sort of set of sounds in my life.
The other message coming out loud and clear form the study day on Friday was Trusts need to work together. In delivering an integrated library service, local services need to integrate. Interesting chat with Gill Swash the AHP bid may be a flyer as a co-ordinated bid, even better it may be used to force the more backward of our acute colleagues into a situation where they share their resources.
Aaaargh! A stand at Mossley Hill for the induction programme and no food in the library. A case of a quick nip into Asda on the way I think. The Soft Boys work their brand of magic as I attempt to bring forth some degree of wakefullness. All that and a judicious use of coffee should see me in some sort of state to face the day.
Sent off to find out about the snow situation in Levi the place Monst and Cal are off to find Santa. Cal's been to Aaron's today and been down the pub (alright for some - The English Rose where apparently there is a ball pool etc. He had a good time, fell down the stairs but is home and wants to do it all again. Meanwhile Monst went into town and the foolish girl was suprised it was mobbed. As for me trips to Morrisons and Sainsbury's (for the bits that idiot boy forgot in Morrison's) proved busy too. Still for the record I'm sat here with some Fursty Ferret cooking the lamb for tonights dinner and getting ready to re-watch the Scrapheap Megachallenge. Other than that a desultory attempt on my part to tidy upstairs while listening to normality being restored as Arsenal beat Blackburn 1-0 and returned to their rightful place on top of the league. A huge relief because I need to ring Cairs for some advice and Graham's a Chelsea fan....
